Something I’ve been thinking about is how older MMOs sometimes had parts of the open world that implicitly required cooperation.

Certain areas weren’t designed to be tackled alone. Whether it was mob density, difficulty, or just how encounters worked, players would often end up grouping — sometimes intentionally, sometimes just because it was the practical way to get through.

Modern games tend to lean much more toward self-reliance. Most content can be completed solo, and grouping is usually something you opt into rather than something the world quietly encourages.

That solves a lot of accessibility problems, but it does change how players interact.

Did those shared “you probably shouldn’t be here alone” spaces unintentionally create more cooperation? And when those disappeared, did something important go with them?